Advocate

Being great at your job often isn't enough. If you've ever been passed over for a promotion, you know what I am talking about. Whether you like it or not, office politics can play a big role in whether or not you are promoted. Your direct boss can think you are terrific, but it's unlikely you will be promoted unless others agree.

Many people think politics and networking imply a lack of integrity. While in some cases that might be true, you don't have to compromise your integrity to get ahead. How can you ensure others see the great work you are doing? Think about who will advocate for you. Who sees you as a strong player? How are they positioning you in front of the right people? What are you doing to make sure everyone knows the good work you have done? If your peers and reports see you as a confident, inspiring, moral leader, they will start to follow and your value will be seen to others.

Who in the executive team do you have the strongest connection with? How often do you interact with that person? What can you do to show your value and regularly interact with that leader? When you build the foundation on these relationships, it will become evident who will advocate for you.

To learn more about career coaching, go to www.katekibler.com

Leading a team

Being a leader can be hard work. Not only are you supposed to get the functional job done, but you are also supposed to inspire and be an example to your team. What does that mean? How do you inspire a team?

First, set a clear vision and goals for the team and each individual member. What does the group want to accomplish as a team? How does the team define success? What does each team member want for their career? What does s/he want to achieve for the short term vs long term? How are the goals aligned with the corporation and each other? Discuss goals with the team.

Once your team has goals & you know what motivates each team member, stay focused. How can you make sure the team has the work life balance while moving them forward in their careers? What are the obstacles you can clear out of their way so they can succeed?

Aside from leading a team, many leaders are tasked with their ‘own’ workload. There is a downstream effect of prioritizing your workload vs that of your team. Sometimes it is hard to lose sight of your role as a leader. How can you set the right example as a leader while delivering results?

What kind of leader do you want to be? How do you ensure you are the leader you want to be? Who can help guide you as a leader? What are some ways you inspire your team?

Entry level candidate

I do a lot of networking. I talk with students and presidents of companies alike. I enjoy hearing what interests people, what motivates them and how they see their careers. Almost every entry level candidate or student asks me what I am looking for when I interview someone just out of school. Let me start by saying that every hiring manager is looking for something different. Here is my general list and reasons why I seek out those specific qualities:

• Intelligence- If someone is smart, they generally learn fast
• Communicates well- If a candidate cannot communicate clearly and in an articulate manner in an interview, they are out.
• Worked while in school- The retail industry is so fast paced, that my hires need to be able to handle a lot and multi-task. When someone says they didn’t work so they could focus on school sends a red flag on what I am looking for in a candidate.
• Activities while in school- Same as last reason.
• Cultural fit- This varies at just about every company and could mean just about anything. I have worked in really strong companies where you can only succeed if you are very vocal, where other companies would not value that characteristic.  
• Curious- A candidate needs to ask questions. Real questions. Not ‘how did you get here in your career?’ That is a bad stock question that teachers tell students to ask. I like to hear curiosity around the open position, company and culture. I want to know this candidate was not only listening but also engaged.
• Enthusiasm- I want everyone on my team to be as excited as I am to come to work every day. An aloof candidate is a not the right one for me.

How can you find out what a hiring manager is looking for in a candidate? What company exhibits the values and traits you practice? How can you connect those two to find a job that is a great fit for you?

For more information about career coaching go to www.katekibler.com

The value of a mentor

I have a mentor. For me, I like having someone who knows both the fashion industry and me well. My mentor is also well-connected, well-respected and wise. She is more senior than me and has been in the industry much longer. When I am on a job search, I connect with her to talk through my opportunities. While I may know what job I like, I may not be clear on which would be the best career move. When I am unhappy about something that happened in my job, she can talk me off the proverbial ledge. I trust her judgment. She is a sounding board for my challenges and a terrific source of support.

I have also mentored and been asked to mentor quite a few people in my career. What I have found is a wide range of reasons people seek a mentor and a wide range of reasons people want to be mentors. Discussing the terms and finding the right fit is something you may want to consider before selecting a mentor. I didn’t understand the importance of this until very recently.

One girl asked if I would be her mentor because she felt that she would never advance her position unless she had a more senior woman in the same company championing on her behalf. For the record, I do not agree with that notion and see it as a limiting belief. (I will cover and explain limiting beliefs in a later post.) My style of mentoring involves helping the mentee gather the skills and information s/he needs to get to the next level or make a positive decision. I would not consider promoting or suggesting to promote my mentee over someone who would be better for the job. I will champion anyone who is smart, full of potential or great at what they do. I don’t care if you are my mentee, a man, woman, Caucasian, African American, Asian, tall, short, young or old. Needless to say, I did tell her this and our mentor/ mentee relationship did not work out.   

So before you embark on your journey to find a mentor, consider what you want. What would make a great mentor for you? What are the interactions you would like to have with your mentor? How would you like to interact with your mentor? Once you are clear on what you want, who would be a good match? Who do you respect that can help guide you through your career? How does that person’s value system match your value system?

Having a mentor is not for everyone, but the wrong mentor is not for anyone.

Learn more about the fashion industry from Career Coach Kate Kibler at http://www.katekibler.com.